A rotary atomiser which is suitable for the application of a two-component paint is known from DE 10 2010 019 771 A1. The two paint components (master batch and hardener) in this case are supplied to the rotary atomiser via separate lines and are mixed in the atomiser by a lattice mixer. The dispensing of the paint is controlled in this known rotary atomiser by a main needle valve which is arranged in the rotary atomiser downstream from the lattice mixer and as a rule is driven pneumatically. The lattice mixer and the main needle valve in this case are located in a hollow paint tube which is passed through the hollow turbine shaft of the drive turbine in the rotary atomiser. In this case, the needles for the main needle valve and the lattice mixer require spatially separate ducts in the paint tube, resulting in a space problem. It is however problematic to enlarge the internal cross-section of the paint tube, since then the hollow turbine shaft of the drive turbine of the rotary atomiser would have to have a larger internal cross-section as well. This in turn would result in an increase in size of the moving masses, so that the mounting of the turbine shaft and the drive turbine itself would both have to be made larger. This would in turn result in higher capital investment costs and also greater air consumption. Furthermore, the rotary atomiser would then be larger and heavier.
What is disadvantageous about this known rotary atomiser is the fact that if the main needle valve is closed or seizes damage upstream from the rotary atomiser may occur due to excess pressure.
A similar rotary atomiser is known from DE 102 12 601 A1. In this case, the main needle valve is driven by a membrane which is acted upon by compressed air. In this case too, however, if the main needle valve is closed or seizes, damage upstream from the rotary atomiser may occur due to excess pressure.
Further, with regard to the prior art, reference should be made to U.S. Pat. No. 4,667,878, DE 101 15 472 A1, US 2005/0035220 A1 and DE 198 46 073 A1.